Truck/Rail Freight Rises 2% in 1Q, IANA Report Says

The Intermodal Association of North America pegged first-quarter truck/rail shipment growth at 2%, which was achieved despite a drop in international cargo due to West Coast port delays.

The trade group reported that domestic intermodal freight increased 4.5%, including container and trailer shipments. International shipments dipped 0.4%.

“Monthly first-quarter results were uneven due to the issues on the West Coast,” said Joni Casey, CEO of IANA. “Despite February’s challenges, however, we still saw some overall quarterly growth, led by big boxes in regions less affected by port congestion.”

Trends on a regional basis also were affected by the port issues, IANA reported. For example, shipments in the Southeast rose 9.9%, including domestic and international freight moved to and from ports there. The Southwest, tied to West Coast port activity, handled 5.7% fewer shipments.